


Line Without A Hook

by criminallobster



Series: Fire, Water, and Liquid Gold [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Third Wheel Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), no beta we die like george when dream is on half a heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 16,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28450404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/criminallobster/pseuds/criminallobster
Summary: After a slip-up during stream, a hashtag gone viral, and a lot of late-night calls, George and Dream decide to finally meet up for the holidays. What they didn't anticipate: *spoiler alert* a (quite miserable) storm trapping them in, magical moments under the mistletoe, and a... New Year's kiss?(Or, Sapnap watches as his two clueless friends realize they like each other.)Each chapter is inspired by a song or quote, listed in the chapter name.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Fire, Water, and Liquid Gold [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118765
Comments: 126
Kudos: 359





	1. I Trust My Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember that this work is shipping or creating a relationship between the characters inspired by the CC's, not the actual people, and that if any of them say that they're uncomfortable with fanfiction, I will gladly take this down. Thank you :)
> 
> Note: there are parts to this fic that may be triggering to some readers. I have not added them to tags because of potential spoilers, but I've included a list of all of them in the end notes for the work as well as a note that there may be triggers in the notes for the chapters that have them.

"I trust my Dream."

George can't believe he actually said it. Out loud. On live stream. _In front of 89 thousand people_.

"Oh my god, what am I going to do?" he mumbled to himself as he crawled into bed, desperate for the day to be over. As he waited for sleep to take him into its welcoming arms, the quiet buzzing of his phone grabbed his attention. Who would call him at this hour? He flipped his tired body over with a frustrated groan, and mentally chastised his face for blushing when he saw that it was, in fact, Dream calling. With a sigh, he reached for his phone and accepted the call.

"George. GEORGE," he heard Dream wheeze into the phone as soon as he picked up.

"Yes?" George replied groggily.

"We're famous!" Dream exclaimed excitedly.

"Dream. You have 15 million subscribers on YouTube. I think we know you're famous."

"Nonono, George. We're Twitter famous. #MyDream is actually going viral right now."

A sliver of panic settled itself into George's chest. He hadn't meant to say that, but it was true, wasn't it? He did think of his best friend as "his," maybe a tad possessively too. But it was only platonically... right? They've always been close to each other, but only as friends, right? Whenever Dream called him late at night, like he just did, it was because they were best friends, not more, right? And those cursed butterflies he felt in his stomach when Dream sent him pictures of himself, little clues to what he truly looked like, were only there because he liked a good mystery.

_Right?_

Knocking those thoughts out of his head and realizing that he's been silent for a while on their call, he answered with a panicked, "Oh, yeah. The fans must be going crazy right now."

"Okay, well, judging by your tone, it must be late over there, so I'll let you go."

"Alright, good night," George said, getting ready to go back to sleep again.

"Good night, my George."

George's phone played a little beep, signaling that the other end had hung up, and George laid on his bed in, well, shock.

That last part was a joke. It had to be. Dream was, as far as he knew, straight, and definitely did not feel that way about him. Hell, he didn't even know if _he_ felt that way about Dream. Troubled by his thoughts and, at this point, pretty tired, George rolled back over in his bed and entered what was to be quite an interesting night of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this in the middle of the night after watching George's stream. Started off as a oneshot and realized I could (okay, really needed to) write more, and switched up the story so that this would be the first chapter. Loosely based on Heat Waves (the idea of the chapters being inspired by songs or quotes). Let me know about any suggestions for future chapters!


	2. Sapnap to the Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support on the first chapter! I genuinely didn't think anyone would read this, and I was definitely pleasantly surprised when I came back to see kudos and hits :) Anyways, here's the second chapter. This chapter is mostly just a continuation of the first chapter, so no original quote or song inspo for this one, more of just an introduction for Sapnap and continuing off that first prompt of "I trust my Dream." Enjoy!

George found himself in an airport. All around him were people buzzing around, looking for their luggage or relatives or whatever it was they were searching for. Meaningless chatter around him dissolved as he set his eyes on a tall man sporting a yellow-looking hoodie (though George couldn't be too sure as he was colorblind) with what seemed to be a lopsided smiley face on it. The man waved at him as his yellow-looking eyes found his own dark brown ones, but George didn't need the hoodie or the wave to know that this man was Dream.

Dream's face was, admittedly, not what George had expected at all. His angular jawline complimented his effortlessly messy dirty blonde hair. His eyes gave off a playful glint as they scanned George's body up and down, coming to the conclusion that this was, in fact, GeorgeNotFound. George couldn't help but notice the way the sides of his eyes scrunched up when he smiled, how his soft pink lips parted to reveal straight white teeth, the way cute little dimples appeared on his cheeks as he yelled across the airport, "George, it's you!" As Dream ran towards him and pulled him into a bear hug, all George could think about was how much he wanted this to be real.

As the scene melted back into, disappointingly, dreamless sleep, George's mind wandered into deeper thoughts.

What if they did meet up? It would certainly be long overdue as they've known each other for years, and the holidays would be the perfect time to do it. But... what if Dream didn't want to? He's always been adamant about his privacy, plus they've never really brought it up before.

Sapnap, he decided. George would ask Sapnap for advice. Though they've known each other for much less time than he's known Dream, George has come to trust him as a close friend, and seeing as he knows Dream better than most, George decided that he'd be a fit person to ask for some help with. It also didn't hurt that Sapnap may or may not owe him a small favor from when George helped him ask his now-girlfriend, Rose, out.

Bit by bit, George's mind woke itself up, first with muddled blurs of _what's going on?_ and then coherent thoughts.

Sapnap. Right.

George pulled out his phone from his nightstand, where he'd left it the night before, and pulled up Sapnap's contact.

8:23 am  
 **George**  
sapnapppp  
help me

Sapnap responded almost immediately.

8:24 am  
 **Sapnap**  
george  
what do you need  
spill

**George**  
okayy so i might have a slight problem  
about dream

Sapnap called him as soon as the little text below the message shifted from _delivered_ to _read_.

"George. George. What's wrong?"

George took a deep breath and started, "Okay, so. You've probably heard by now, but I may have blurted out 'I trust my Dream' yesterday on stream."

George could hear Sapnap's (well-intended but nevertheless failed) attempts to contain his laughter from the other end of the phone, "Yes. I definitely heard about that one. What now, you've finally realized your feelings for him?"

Feeling the heat rise to his cheeks, George was suddenly grateful that Sapnap couldn't see him. He'd have a field day with the assumptions about just why George was blushing at the slightest mention of Dream. Collecting his thoughts, he replied, "Finally? What makes you think I like him?"

"Gogy," Sapnap replied in what seemed to be a more serious tone, "You mean to tell me that you texted me at 8 am in the morning to tell me that you slipped up on stream yesterday with something about Dream, and that you definitely didn't stay up last night thinking about it, and that you're just dropping by to tell me that your problem is that you might have suggested to your entire fanbase that you platonically like your best friend?"

It being way too early in the morning for George to even consider deciphering whatever sarcastic logic that was, he answered with a resigned, "Fine. I like him."

"Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, what might your panic-inducing dilemma be?"

"I want to visit him," George replied, "I want to see what he looks like, to see what we, us, might be like when we're actually together. Just because we're friends online doesn't mean we'll be the same in real life, and I just don't think it's a good idea to crush on someone without even knowing if we'd actually get along, you know?" He kept going, "But at the same time, what if we don't? Not only would this whole prospect of a relationship be completely obliterated, assuming I even have a chance in the first place," Sapnap chuckled on the other end for whatever reason, "but we might not even be able to just go back to being online friends anymore. I don't wanna ruin our whole friendship just over some stupid crush. Sapnap, what do I do?"

George sat in silence for a couple of seconds, then heard his answer, "Easy. I'll come with you. I've been meaning to meet up with Dream for a while now as well, and I can be your wingman!"

"Wait, Sapnap, you'd do that for me?"

"Yeah, of course. Let's ask Dream about it once he gets online."

"Thank you, Sapnap," George said with a grin on his face and some newfound hope in this whole new mess of a crush.


	3. Imagination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the supportive comments and kudos, they really made my day! Here's chapter 3, our first song-inspired chapter. The song referenced is Imagination by Shawn Mendes, and I HIGHLY recommend that you listen you it before/while reading this chapter.
> 
> On another note, I'm going to try and start updating earlier in the evening (around 8-10 pm) as I've heard that there's more readers at that hour, so we'll see if that works out. Without further ado, here we go!

George couldn't get the song out of his head. Ever since he heard it while scrolling through a Spotify playlist, it's just been there, playing on repeat in his head, driving him crazy. It didn't help that it reminded him of Dream and his daunting task of asking him about meeting up in real life.

Taking a deep breath, he attempted at expelling the thought from his head and went about his day as well as he could — making some breakfast, feeding his pets, dropping by the grocery store to refill his fridge. After a while, though, he sat down in his gaming chair and hopped on Discord, not being able to take it anymore. Seeing that Dream was online, he sent him a message.

7:43 pm  
 **George**  
dream  
dreammm  
wanna call

Dream replied a few minutes later.

7:47 pm  
 **Dream**  
yeah sure gimme a sec

The call came quite a while after his message (not that George was counting). George picked up the phone and greeted Dream with your classic, "Hi, what's up?"

"Not much," Dream responded, "Sorry I took so long to call. Patches was about to eat my mouse and I had to wrestle it away from her."

"No problem," George said in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone, even though he could feel the smile grow on his face from knowing that Dream hadn't just forgotten to call him. That's such a stupid thing to grin like an idiot over, he chided himself, but kept smiling anyway. "Hey, so I was wondering—"

"GEORGE. DREAM. HI," Sapnap's voice interrupted.

George flinched in his seat in surprise. He hadn't realized Sapnap had joined the call. "Oh hey, Sapnap! I was just about to ask Dream if he wanted to meet up with us sometime. Dream, it's totally fine if you don't want to, or if you don't feel comfortable showing your face, or—"

"No, George, of course we should meet! I've been dying to ask you, I just never got the chance to, I guess," Dream answered, "You guys could even come over and stay with me in Florida!"

George smiled. He hadn't expected this to go so well, "Cool! So I was thinking... Maybe we could visit during the holidays?"

Dream agreed and the three friends busied themselves finding plane tickets and planning when they'd leave. They booked tickets for the day after tomorrow since Christmas was in only a week, and frankly, George just wanted to see Dream as soon as humanly possible (though he played it off as "it's not like I've got anything else going on").

After the tickets were paid for and George was smiling like a moron because _oh my god, he was going to meet Dream_ , Sapnap claimed that he was "absolutely exhausted" (even though it was 4:30 pm in Houston where Sapnap lived) and was going to go take a nap. George cussed him out in his mind and proceeded to stutter his way through his now alone conversation with Dream.

"Hey, so, I'm going to go lie down 'cause it's getting kinda late. Give me a second," George said about an hour later. The clock on his nightstand read 11:30 pm, and his mind was getting fuzzy. Bringing his phone with him, he laid down on his bed and held his phone next to him. That cursed song that had been stuck in his head earlier came back on full volume for whatever reason.

_I keep craving, craving, you don't know it but it's true_   
_Can't get my mouth to say the words they wanna say to you_   
_This is typical of love, can't wait anymore, won't wait_   
_I need to tell you how I feel when I see us together forever_

"George? Are you there?" Dream asked.

Lost in his mental concert, George snapped back to reality. "Yeah, yeah. I just had a song stuck in my head. Anyways, how are you doing? I realized I never got the chance to ask earlier."

"Good. I've been, like, just chilling out at home, I guess. The weather has me locked in."

George debates asking his next question.

The song plays in his mind.

_In my dreams, you're with me._

"Dream?"

_We'll be everything I want us to be._

"Yeah?"

_And from there, who knows?_

"Have you ever... had a dream about someone? Someone you liked?"

_Maybe this will be the night that we kiss for the first time._

"Yeah, I did. It was somewhere in Englan— somewhere in Europe. It was a summer night and I saw them at the beach. They had these beautiful chocolate brown eyes, and they were wearing this oversized blue hoodie that they looked adorable in. It was—" Dream paused, seeming to be looking for the right words, "it was magical."

Maybe it was the fact that it was late or maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but for a second it almost seemed like he was talking about George.

_Or is that just me and my imagination?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed that! Let me know about any suggestions, and be prepared for lots of fluff next chapter :)


	4. He Was Beautiful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you.
> 
> I can't possibly express how much I want to hug every single one of you that read, comment on, leave kudos on, or bookmark my story. Seriously, it means the world to me that there's people out there that want to read what I have to write. As a mini-celebration for our 300 hits milestone, I made this chapter a little extra long. Hope you enjoy :)
> 
> P.S. This chapter is a continuation of the Imagination chapter, as "imagine" is kind of a big theme here and more lyrics from that song come up towards the end as well, so again, highly recommend that you listen to the song (it's called Imagination by Shawn Mendes) before or while you read the chapter!

_I can't believe this is happening._

That was the thought running through George's head as of the current moment.

The two days until his flight passed like sand slowing edging through the tiny hole in an hourglass, but finally, George was at the airport, getting ready to board the plane at the horrendous hour of 4 am. He pulled out his phone.

4:37 am  
 **George**  
i'm at the airport :)

 **Dream**  
skjdkfjskdjf can't wait for you to get here  
i'll be wearing my merch

 **George**  
okkk  
sorry, i have to go :( plane's boarding

 **Dream**  
ok see you in florida

 **George**  
see youuu

George slept through most of the flight, knowing the jet lag was probably going to annoy him for a few days anyway. He woke up to the sound of the captain speaking. "Hello passengers and crew, this is your captain. We will be landing in Orlando shortly, at local time 10:58 pm. Please return to your seat and secure your seatbelt." George put on his seatbelt and leaned back in his seat, anxious for the moment that he would finally meet him. Dream. _His Dream_.

Realizing what he'd just said to himself, he shook the thought out of his head and waited for the descent. Calm down, he told himself, you won't even be alone with him. If all went according to plan, Sapnap had already arrived hours ago and he had nothing to be worried about.

* * *

_It was just as he imagined._

George stood by the baggage claim with his suitcase and backpack, restlessly waiting for the man in what would be a yellow hoodie to him. As soon as he saw the hoodie with the lopsided smile, he knew.

_He looked different than he imagined._

Not in a bad way, just different. Dream Dream had been ethereal, out of reach, a product of his imagination and therefore, a fantasy. Airport Dream was _real_. He was still beautiful, but in a more down-to-earth and almost boyish way. He was _cute_ , George realized with a start, like a lost puppy who'd just found their owner again.

_He looked even better than he imagined._

In front of him stood what had to be the palest man to live in Florida, but that didn't take away from his attractiveness. It added to it, in fact, complementing his golden eyes and fluffy blonde hair. His eyes radiated kindness, love, the type of welcoming you'd only expect from a family member. His face broke into the most beautiful, genuine smile George's ever seen as he found him amongst the other visitors. As he rushed towards him, he felt that warmth, the warmth he'd felt when Dream had called him "my George," the warmth that had been there when he'd realized he had a crush on his best friend, the warmth that seeped into his body when Dream told him about his dream and how he thought, just for a second, that maybe Dream felt the same way.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when arms wrapped around him into what was a crushing hug. (No pun intended. Okay, fine, yes pun intended.) "Oh my god, George!" Dream practically yelled in the middle of the airport, "You're here!"

Rolling his eyes but not being able to contain his smile, George replied with a, "Thank you, Captain Obvious."

Dream threw his arm around George's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Come on, just admit that you can't stand my real-life hotness."

Little did he know how right he was. That particular comment sent a shiver up George's spine, and George prayed, for the sake of not being awkward for however long he was staying here, that Dream didn't notice.

He may have forgotten about that fact that had his arm around his shoulder. "Georgie, was that a shiver I felt from you?" Dream teased.

Already feeling the warmth creep up his face, George replied stubbornly, "Ugh, Dream, way to make my Florida experience great. And no, I'm just cold."

"Oh?" Dream questioned. George could already tell by his tone, from the countless hours that they've spent streaming and recording videos, that he was about to— "Then would you like my hoodie?"

Knew it.

Not about to let him win, George rebutted with a, "Sure, Dream. Hand over the hoodie."

That was a mistake. If his face hadn't been completely flushed before, it definitely was now. The hoodie smelled just like him, like vanilla and cat fur and that one specific brand of laundry detergent that, for whatever reason, reminded him of home.

He realized, with startling clarity, that to him, Dream was home. Even though this was the first time they'd met in real life, it being the first time that he's even seen his face, this man was the person that appeared in his mind when he thought of home. He was the one that stayed up with him in the middle of the night streaming, the one he celebrated with when they hit milestones in their careers, the one that talked to him at devilish hours when the rest of the world was asleep and it was just them, together, forever.

That cursed song came up in his head again.

_We walk, we laugh, we spend our time walking by the ocean side._

Would Dream take him to the beach? To walk along the sand as the sun set in the magnificent explosion of color he couldn't fully experience, but appreciated nonetheless?

_Our hands are gently intertwined, a feeling I just can't describe._

Would they hold hands? George could already see, feel Dream's hand in his, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

_And all this time we spent alone thinkin' we cannot belong..._

Can we? Do we? Do we belong?

_...To something so damn beautiful, so damn beautiful._

He was beautiful.


	5. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you again for all the love on the previous chapters, I really appreciate it <3 Sorry for the shorter chapter today, I was really tired after a long day and my school's starting again tomorrow. This chapter is mostly just fluff and buildup, and there's a POV change in the middle (we finally get to see what Dream's thinking!), so be watching out for that :) Don't worry though, I've got an exciting chapter planned for tomorrow and I can't wait for you guys to read it. Please leave kudos if you enjoy this chapter, and here we go!

Still recovering from the shock of meeting Dream in real life, George was now headed to Dream's house, Sapnap in tow. Mind fairly alert due to the fact that he'd slept on the plane, George wondered what Dream's house would be like. Dream had told him, on call, that he lived in a townhouse, not quite as small as an apartment or condo, but definitely not a full-sized house. What would it look like? How many rooms did it have? What was his gaming setup? George was curious. He realized then, the fact that he wanted to know so much about Dream and just how different he was around him than he was around, say, Sapnap, probably meant that this crush was quickly spiraling out of control. George didn't _shiver_ when other people made teasing jokes. George wasn't this curious about other people's lives, he wasn't practically dying to know everything about them. But with Dream, it was like he was... entranced, somehow. Caught in the magic of the way his eyes sparkled when the light hit it just right, the way he carelessly ran his fingers through his hair when he got nervous, the way his face would rest in a semi-smile when he was calm, at ease. He was beginning to notice these things even though he'd been with him all of thirty minutes, and it was driving him mad.

They arrived at Dream's house a while later. It was a charming little townhouse in the suburbs of Orlando, painted in what Dream informed him was, of course, green. As they entered the building, George asked about the sleeping arrangements — after all, there were only two bedrooms and three of them. Sapnap, after giving George the world's sneakiest smile, proceeded to suggest that Dream and George share a bed since he "needed his beauty sleep." Dream answered with a, "sure, but only if George's okay with it," and George had no choice but to say yes.

Since everyone was pretty tired at this point, they all called it a night and headed off to their respective bedrooms. Exhaustion suddenly hit George, and he swayed a little on his feet before Dream asked, "Hey, Gogy, you alright?"

He replied that yes, he was fine, just a little tired, and proceeded to collapse in Dream's arms.

* * *

Dream caught George as he fell, his entire body's weight lying on his arms. Poor guy, he thought, remembering that George probably hasn't slept in 20 hours or so. Standing there awkwardly with a half-standing George leaning on him, he decided that the best course of action was probably to just carry him over to his bed. Scooping him up, Dream lifted an unconscious George up, half stumbled over to his bed, and not-so-gracefully dropped him smack-dab in the middle of the bed, after which he realized that he was going to have to sleep there as well. Whatever, he thought, and decided to just sleep on the couch instead. After a moment of consideration, he tucked a blanket over him.

As he leaned in and whispered "goodnight, George" for reasons unbeknownst to himself, his eyes caught on the way George's long, dark eyelashes fluttered against his eyelids when he slept. He wondered how he's never noticed that before. He wondered how he's never noticed a lot of things — the way his body naturally curled up upon itself when he was sleeping, as if he was reaching for something, someone, how his face relaxed ever so slightly, revealing that little bit of youth, boyishness that wasn't there before, how he looked angelic, really, just lying there, so vulnerable.

Snap out of it, he told himself. As he was about to leave, a soft hand grabbed his own and a muddled voice whispered, "Wait. Dream, don't leave." Turning around and seeing George lying there, still in his hoodie, his mind gave in to his heart and he settled himself next to George.

Then he remembered his dream.


	6. Sweater Weather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Again, I just want to thank you all for the support. It's so crazy that we have over 500 hits already (*does little happy dance in my room*)! This chapter features the song Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood, which I'm sure most of you have heard of. Definitely listen to it (randomly heard it on Spotify the other day and now it's stuck in my head) if you have some free time on your hands.
> 
> This chapter is a bit weird in terms of point of view, so I just thought I'd make it extra clear: the first part is my little experiment of the second person POV, and it's basically just Dream's dream ("him" being George and "you" being Dream — it'll make sense once you read it). The lyric/thoughts part fits into that (kind of like it's happening while the dream's going on), except that it's written in first person, from Dream's perspective, and the last part is just George in third person like the beginning of this story.
> 
> Enjoy, and please, please, please use the comments to give me any feedback/ideas you have! (And let me know what you guys think of the second person section — did you like it? Was there something else I could've added to make it better?)

You're standing on a beach in Brighton in the middle of the night. The sky is clear, and you look up at the stars, searching for your favorite constellation. You find it and you stare at it, enjoying its simple beauty. All it was, really, is a collection of white flashes in the night sky, arranged in a particular shape, but you look at it more, probing for some kind of deeper meaning behind it. After all, something so beautiful can, _must_ have some significance in this vast yet intertwined world we live in, right?

All of your thoughts go flying out of your head when you see _him_ , though. The stars are nothing compared to him. There are no words to describe him. You stand there, breathless, as you look at his face, the face of the man you've loved for two summers now. Every time you look at him, it's like the first time. You're entranced, captured by his beauty, the way he draws you in.

You know you don't stand a chance, but just for today, you let yourself pretend.

_'Cause it's too cold for you here_   
_And now, so let me hold_   
_Both your hands in the holes of my sweater_

He looks at you and your heart flutters. You notice that he's shivering in the cold beachside wind and you give him your hoodie. He puts it on and you look at him, caught once again in the way he was just _being_. How he was standing there in the middle of nowhere in your hoodie, so small yet taking up so much space in your heart, a precious part of you that you had to protect.

_And if I may just take your breath away, I don't mind if there's not much to say._

You take my breath away, George. Every single time.

_Sometimes the silence guides the mind, to move to a place so far away._

I'd go to the deepest depths of the ocean, the peaks of the tallest mountains, to the very ends of the universe if you were there.

_The goosebumps start to raise, the minute that my left hand meets your waist._

I wonder what it'd be like to slow dance with you.

_And then I watch your face, put my finger on your tongue 'cause you love the taste, yeah._

What do you love? _Who_ do you love?

_These hearts adore, everyone the other beats hardest for._

My heart beats for you.

_Inside this place is warm..._

You make me feel warm, even in the freezing cold of the night.

_Outside it starts to pour._

* * *

George woke up with a pair of arms wrapped around him. Hmm, Dream must've fallen asleep next to him. Which made sense, he reminded himself as he felt the rising blush on his face once again, since they'd agreed to share a bed the previous day. He laid there comfortably, the warmth of Dream's body spreading around him, and smiled to himself as he realized that he was still wearing Dream's hoodie. Despite being quite literally tangled up with Dream, George was starting to get a little bit cold.

"Hey, Dream," he whispered as he gently poked Dream awake, "Why's it so cold?"

George sat up in the bed, as unwilling as he was to leave Dream's embrace, as the other man slowly woke up. "Huh?" Dream mumbled as he rubbed his eyes and took in his surroundings. He must've realized it was cold as well, because he proceeded to get up and check the thermometer.

The thermometer wasn't on, though. Nothing was.

George watched as Dream rushed over to the closest window and peered outside. After mumbling an impressive string of curses under his breath, he turned around to face George.

"The power's out, and we're trapped in."


	7. You Melt Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New quote-inspired chapter! Credits to Heat Waves by tbhyourelame for the quote, I believe it appears in chapter 6. Wow, we're writing fanfic-inspired fanfic now. (On a serious note, go read Heat Waves if you haven't already, it's actually insane, better than most of the published books I've read.)
> 
> P.S. Also some lyrics from Line Without A Hook by Ricky Montgomery in this chapter, but (spoiler alert) there'll be an official Line Without A Hook chapter where the song plays a bigger part later in the fic. (Hmm, I wonder where...?) Thank you for all the love on the previous chapter as well!
> 
> P.P.S. I can't believe Dream and Sapnap actually met up (as Dream would say... wHaAaaaAt?).
> 
> Sorry for all the extra notes, I just had a lot to say. Enjoy!

"What do you mean, the power's out?" George listened as Sapnap complained.

"It means, the power's out," Dream deadpanned.

"How did this even happen?"

Dream gestured to the raging storm outside.

The friends sat there as Sapnap groaned a little bit more about his apparent "absolute need for electricity in his life," and eventually realized that yes, they were going to have to live without it for a few days. "We can't even go outside?" George asked, and Dream answered with a shake of his head, explaining that A, it wasn't safe, and B, their car would just get wrecked if they tried to go outside in this kind of weather.

After using up the rest of each of their laptops' power to binge watch Star Wars movies (which, admittedly, was probably not a good decision, but hey, they were bored) and letting their followers know that no, they weren't going to be uploading any new content in the next week or so, they sat down once again, looking for something to do. Dream had lit the candles around the house that apparently every Floridian owned just for situations like these, and Sapnap suggested the idea of playing Truth or Dare.

"Why not?" George answered, remembering the popular middle school game, and Dream gave a nonchalant nod as well.

"Okay, okay..." Sapnap glanced at Dream. "Dream, truth or dare?"

"Truth," he replied, playing it safe.

Taking inspiration upon their current unfortunate situation, Sapnap asked, "If you could be stuck in a storm with anybody in the world, who would you choose?"

Dream answered quickly. "George, of course," he grinned.

George told the butterflies in his stomach to go away as Dream asked him, "Hey George, truth or dare?"

He could not handle a dare right now. "Truth."

"If you had 60 seconds to live, starting now, what would you do?"

 _Kiss you_ , he thought.

Dream must've noticed the way he'd glimpsed at him when he asked the question because he smirked and followed up, "Why, Gogy, does it have something to do with me?"

Muting the panic in his chest, George answered, "Can I switch to a dare?"

Dream looked at him with surprise, apparently not expecting a reaction.

"Ooh, I've got a good one. Dream, can I please steal George's dare?" Sapnap chimed in and Dream shrugged, "Go for it."

"Okay, first of all, do you happen to have a radio player, Dream?"

"You know, I think I might actually have one. Let me check," Dream replied as he rummaged through a box near where they were sitting. "Voila!" He pulled out an old radio player with a speaker on each side and a row of buttons across the top. "It even still has power," he added as he turned it on.

"Great. George, I dare you to slow dance with Dream, right now, to radio music."

George sighed, and, knowing there was no getting out of this unless he wanted to answer Dream's question, agreed to it.

What a horrible decision that was.

His heart thumped in his chest as Sapnap found a good station and Dream stood up, waiting for him to do the same. His breath hitched as he put his arms over Dream's shoulder, and Dream put his hands gently around his waist, sparking a trail of electricity on George's skin with his touch.

It may be pouring outside, George thought, but _you melt me_.

The song started up and they stood there, swaying to the beat of the music.

_I don't really give a damn about the way you touch me_  
_When we're alone_  
_You can hold my hand_  
_If no one's home_  
_Do you like it when I'm away?_  
_If I went and hurt my body, baby_  
_Would you love me the same?_

The distance that they'd been standing at in the beginning made it hard for them to dance at all, and so George, taking his leap of courage, moved closer to Dream, and Dream did the same. Sapnap excused himself to go to the restroom, typing something on his phone as he walked away. Texting Rose, George assumed. Dream settled himself against George at some point, leaning on him, and now George rested his head on Dream's shoulder, pressing his body up against his own. Their faces were close now, George noticed, close enough to kiss. As his warm chocolate eyes locked with Dream's fiery golden ones, lit up by the light of the candle, something shifted in the atmosphere. They'd joked around before, flirted with each other on stream and off, even, but it was playful banter, not real feelings. Now, there was something genuine in Dream's eyes, amplified by the fact that this was the first time they've been so close, so physically close with each other. The tension was undeniably there this time, George could feel it, but...

Screw it, he thought. He leaned in.

The song stopped.

He was left standing there, awkwardly close to Dream, merely an inch or so from his face. He'd wanted to kiss him, so bad, in that moment, but now it was gone.

For a second there, it seemed like Dream had wanted the same thing.


	8. Electric Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, the legendary Electric Love by BORNS (ahh TikTok challenges make me feel so single). Lots of *internal conflict* in this chapter (my English teacher would be proud), and as usual, please leave kudos if you like and let me know about any suggestions in the comments!
> 
> P.S. I know it's still early in the fic, but I'm contemplating the idea of a sequel. What do you guys think?
> 
> Also, according to AO3 statistics, only a small percentage— I'm kidding. (But seriously: we're so close to 1000 hits, that's actually crazy. I didn't ever think so many people would want to read what I have to write. Thank you all so much for the support.)

Was he about to kiss me?

He was about to kiss me.

Oh, my god.

Dream's thoughts raced in his head. He could feel the adrenaline rushing through his blood, the idea pounding through his mind. George had looked at him with such fondness, such tender love, that—

Was it possible?

_Baby, you're like lightning in a bottle._

It's just been stuck inside his head for so long, permanently engraved in him, but the question was: did he love George, or did he love the idea of George? Could he afford the real-life consequences of this, _them_ happening? He'd formed this deeper sort of emotional bond with him, this other realm of connection, more than a friendship, but what if he was just latched on to this idea of George and not what's been in front of his nose all along? Was it all just a fantasy in his head, fueled by the fact that, before the events that had taken place a mere few seconds ago, he never would've thought it could really happen?

_I can't let you go now that I got it._

He knew he wouldn't be able to let him go, ever, if he was his. And what if... what if it didn't mean anything to George? What if it was all a joke to him?

No one was watching, he reminded himself.

But did George know that, did he even care? And which George was there, dancing to that song with him? The sensitive, vulnerable George that stayed up until 4 am talking to him, the George that fell asleep in his arms the other night, the one he had beamed his biggest smile at him when he saw him at that airport? Or the loud, rowdy George that hunted him down in manhunt videos, the one that made comments about them on stream so their viewer count would go up? _His_ George, or the fans'?

_And all I need is to be struck..._

There was something so distinctively special, _unique_ about George that he could feel it from a mile away. It was this aura of... goodness in him, the way he always tried to make everyone smile, from his closest friends, how he could always tell when something was off, to the fans that donated during his streams saying that they've had a bad day. He was drawn to George by this almost magnetic force that he didn't know anything about, that he didn't understand.

_By..._

The way he felt around George, it was different. Hell, it was like he was a different person around him. He could feel the way his eyes were brighter, how he smiled more, how his laughs were just a little more genuine when George was with him. He could feel it in George, too. How he was more relaxed, less shy like Dream knew he got around strangers and more open, confident.

_Your electric love._

Did he trust George, no, _himself_ enough to give his heart away, knowing it could be shattered into a million pieces?

* * *

Dream stood there, frozen.

George looked back at him, eyes searching for something within him.

Sapnap came back, soon realizing that he'd interrupted something, and, in true Sapnap fashion, proceeded to crack (very inappropriate) jokes to make the situation even more tense.

After about five minutes of excruciating awkwardness, all three friends declared that they were completely exhausted (after their wildly productive day of wandering around the house looking for activities that didn't involve A, going outside, or B, electricity). Sapnap, sensing the tension between the two other friends this time, offered to sleep on the couch, and George settled into the guest room.

Little did they know what the night would bring.


	9. I'll Catch You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SORRY it gets angsty this chapter. Here's my little dark twist on the Sweater Weather chapter, hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, we officially have 1000 hits on this story! Thank you guys so much for the kudos, sweet comments, and bookmarks. It always makes me so happy to see people enjoying my writing. I wrote this, hoping to get maybe 100 hits after finishing the whole story, and I genuinely never imagined so many people reading this. Even though it might not seem like much compared to the more popular fics on this website, I really do appreciate all of you that take the time to check this out.
> 
> (Trigger warnings at the end. Nothing too bad, but just wanted to include them for anyone that might be triggered by the contents of this chapter.)

You're back at the beach in Brighton.

This time, things seem... off. Sinister. The stars don't shine as bright, as hopeful, the silence of the night seems to be concealing hidden dangers, the roaring ocean feels more like a slowly waking monster than a kind giant. You see _him_ , again. But instead of the carefree thoughts you'd experienced last time, this time you feel dread.

_'Cause it's too cold for you here_  
_And now, so let me hold_  
_Both your hands in the holes of my sweater_

"I'm sorry," he says, "but it's too cold for me here."

A booming wave takes him away. Taller than anything you've ever seen, it sweeps him away like— like he was _nothing_. So insignificant, the ocean seems to talk to you. Minuscule, meaningless. From the little decisions you make everyday to your biggest choices in life, they're all trivial, negligible in the grand scheme of things, aren't they? It seems to taunt you.

You want to reply and say _no_ , you're wrong, this matters, _we_ matter, but instead you stand there, frozen in place on this godforsaken beach.

And then the pain, the desperation hits you. You couldn't lose him. Every precious shared moment between the two of you flashes before your eyes — the little laughs, full of adoration, that he would give every time you cracked a joke, even if you knew it wasn't funny. They're genuine, though, and now you wonder why. Was he laughing at your stupid joke, or was he simply in love with you the way you are with him? Your mind flashes to the memories of yourself wheezing at his idiotic comments, not because they were actually funny (god, they really weren't — he had the worst sense of humor known to mankind), but because you loved him, and the little grins that lit up his entire face right after puts a smile on your face as well. You remember the way he would get flustered whenever you'd flirt with him on stream, and now you wonder if it was for show, or did he mean it? You recall the countless "I love you's" you've said to him, secretly hoping to get a response, because now you'll never be able to tell him that you meant those "I love you's," more than he'll ever know.

_You had to tell him._

You dive in after him.

_And if I may just take your breath away, I don't mind if there's not much to say._

Your breath starts to run out. The water bubbles around you, pushing you down, saying _give up, it's not worth it_. You can't tell which side is up and which is down anymore. All around you is just darkness, black, seething water that seems to churn its anger out on you.

_Sometimes the silence guides the mind, to move to a place so far away._

You see his floating body, but he's so, _so_ far away. You can't reach him. You fight the water with your limbs, frantically trying to get to him, but the ocean battles your futile attempts.

 _Closer_ , you realize. You're closer now, as the waves push him towards you. Just a little bit closer—

_The goosebumps start to raise, the minute that my left hand meets your waist._

You grab him and you kick towards the surface with renewed energy. Please, you think, _please_ let me make it on time.

_And then I watch your face, put my finger on your tongue 'cause you love the taste, yeah._

You lay his unmoving body down in the sand. He's not breathing. You recall what you can from the CPR lessons you took as a kid, and you press your hands into his chest, once, twice, three times. He's still not breathing. You do it again, this time with more desperation, as if that will bring him back to life.

It didn't.

_These hearts adore, everyone the other beats hardest for._

You sit there for what feels like hours, sobbing, pleading, begging, _willing_ for him to please, _please_ come back because you don't just love him.

You _need_ him.

_Inside this place is warm..._

Your tears drench the sand around you and yet he still laid there, unmoving, heart unbeating.

_Outside it starts to pour._

And just like that, he's gone.

The storm pours around you as you hold onto his frozen, lifeless hands. His once warm chocolate brown eyes are now darkened to a still black, his hair drying up in the fine sand. His skin turns pale, not the healthy porcelain that it was before, but the complexion of a corpse. The sun rises as an explosion of brilliant, piercing colors take up the sky, bursting through the stormy clouds to create a stunning contrast between the black, looming clouds and the rays of color flaring through, but you don't care. He's not here to watch it with you.

* * *

George heard screaming.

He'd been laying in bed, unable to sleep for reasons totally not having to do with the beautiful man that he knew was in the room right next to him. That was when the screaming started. It'd begun as soft whimpering, growing to full sobs and eventually heart-wrenching screams.

It's Dream, he thought. Sapnap was too far away for him to be able to hear him so clearly.

He debated whether or not to do something. On one hand—

It suddenly got eerily quiet. If the screams in the middle of the night had been unsettling, the silence was unbearable.

I'm going to check up on him, he decided. As he walked down the hall to Dream's room and knocked on his door, he wondered why Dream had been screaming in the first place. Probably just a nightmare, he thought. There was, strangely, no response to his knock.

"I'm just going to come in!" he hollered, and once again there was no answer. As he listened more closely, a series of quiet sobs mixed in with the silence. He slowly opened the door to find a curled-up Dream on his bed, body shaking with each sob.

It was so unlike him, the stark contrast between the confident, flirty Dream George was so used to, and this Dream, lying in his bed, weak and exposed.

"Hey," George touched his shoulder.

Dream turned around in his bed, having previously been facing the other way, sobs weakening, "You're here, George." He reached his hand out to touch George's face, as if he couldn't believe it.

"Of course I am. Are you okay?"

Dream seems to debate this for a moment before shaking his head the tiniest bit.

Sensing that Dream wasn't going to tell him what had happened, George asked, "Do you need a hug?"

Dream scooted to the side in his queen-sized bed, leaving space for George, and George sat himself down, putting his arm protectively around Dream. Dream laid his head on George's shoulder, and soon fell asleep, snuggling up against him.

George stayed awake, though, promising himself to be there to catch Dream if he fell into another nightmare.

I'm going to be here, he thought. I'll catch you if you fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings:
> 
> Drowning  
> Character death (but it happens in a dream)


	10. Quiescence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh thank you guys for 100 kudos! Sorry for the short chapter, I was super tired today :( Some serious *fluff* planned for tomorrow though!

George woke up, for the second night in a row, next to Dream.

 _Shoot_ , he thought to himself, I must've fallen asleep last night.

He laid lazily in the bed, turning towards Dream to admire his soft features. He'd looked so scared last night, like something horrible had happened. George knew better than to ask him directly about it, but still, he was curious. Especially because of the way Dream had immediately relaxed when he realized that it was George that had came to check up on him. Dream looked peaceful now, with George's own arm wrapped securely around him and the expression of a satisfied puppy on his face.

* * *

"Rise and shine, lovebirds!" A blinding light pierced through Dream's eyelids, waking him up.

 _George_ , his first thought was. _Is George okay?_

Then he remembered the events of last night, how George had came into his room and comforted him, _held him_ after his nightmare, how he'd fallen asleep with George safely curled up by his side. He looked to his side now, and there he was. Pale yet glowing skin, a little bit of a concerned expression on his face, and those deep cocoa eyes looking into his own.

"Um, please don't tell me I'm actually third-wheeling with my two best friends right now." Dream flinched as he realized Sapnap was there, and that he was, in fact, the one who had opened those damn blinds. "Though, by the looks of it," he added with a cough that sounded suspiciously like, "you already slept together anyway."

Dream couldn't help but notice how flustered George seemed as he responded, "Dream gets lonely sometimes," with a smirk. Though he didn't say so, Dream appreciated George keeping his nightmare a secret.

"So, gentlemen, what fun activities might we be participating in today?"

Dream was about to answer with the fact that they still couldn't go outside because of the storm, until he realized that the lights in his room were on, and, glancing towards his window, that the sky outside was miraculously clear.

"The storm stopped?" he asked, in a little bit of a shock.

"Hell yeah, it did!" Sapnap responded in what had to be the cheeriest attitude he's had since he got here — not that Dream minded. The whole "electricity equals my entire life" thing was getting old.

As George slowly came out of a confused daze of _wait, did I fall asleep again?_ the three friends decided that today, they were going Christmas shopping (because, of course, three days before Christmas was the absolute best time to start looking for gifts and decorations).

* * *

Sapnap looked around the shop. He was genuinely confused as to what to get his friends for Christmas. On one hand, there was George, who was just visiting Florida (or the United States, for that matter), and who he knew would appreciate those classic tourist presents. On the other hand, there was Dream, who had lived here his whole life, and had probably memorized every item in this store by now. He wandered around, eventually choosing a few suitable presents for his friends. As he headed towards the checkout counter, his eye caught on something on a small, inconspicuous shelf nearby.

This'll be perfect, he thought.


	11. Mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys I just speedran this chapter at 3 in the morning because ~procrastination~ (don't learn from me kids) so the quality might be a little, say, lacking. Let me know about any typos/grammar mistakes you guys see so I can go fix them, and please leave kudos and comments if you like this, they really light up my day!
> 
> P.S. I know the lyrics are cringy (ahh I died a little looking them up — young Justin, why, just why?), but would this really be a Christmas fic without a Bangs Bieber-phase song in it?
> 
> P.P.S. Song is Mistletoe by Justin Bieber, in case you didn't know :)

As George settled himself in the back seat of Dream's car, Sapnap having called shotgun, he couldn't help but wonder about the contents of the small pouch that Sapnap had came out of the mall with, in addition to what he knew were his and Dream's gifts.

"Hey, Sapnap," he asked curiously, "What's in that pouch thing you've been carrying around?"

Sapnap turned around from his seat and shot him a sly smile, "I don't know, George... What do you think?"

Sensing that Sapnap wasn't going to tell him, George bantered with him for a bit, Dream joining in and shooting his guesses about the contents of what they now dubbed "The Pouch of Mystery," but after a while fell into a comfortable silence.

The Pouch of Mystery, as it happened, was about to make George's Christmas a whole lot more interesting.

* * *

The three friends had just finished lunch, and now they were sitting in Dream's gaming room playing Minecraft, Dream on his PC and Sapnap and George on their respective laptops that they'd brought. They weren't recording today, just the three of them chilling on their server, mining around looking for diamonds, building fancy (but very flammable) wooden houses on the plains biome that they'd found. _This is just like the old times_ , George thought to himself, before Dream's channel blew up, when it was just the three of us being ourselves, doing what we loved.

Or _two_ of us, he added as he realized that Sapnap had gone to the kitchen to grab himself some food, and that it was just him and Dream, alone, in this room that suddenly felt very small. It dawned on him that this was the first time they'd been alone together since the Truth or Dare incident (unless you counted last night, in which Dream was awake for a total of five minutes and George was extremely concerned and sleep deprived, generally _not_ a very good combination for having conversations). Dream must've noticed this too, because he said in a quiet voice, "Hey, uh, George?"

"Yeah?" George responded nervously.

"Are we— Are we going to talk about... you know...?"

 _When I almost kissed you_ , George finished his sentence in his mind.

"Yeah, um," George started panicking, heart racing in his chest, the temperature seemingly to have risen. "S— Sapnap's been gone for a while. I think I'm going to go check up on him," he rambled.

Dream didn't buy it. "Sure, I'll come with you. I've been meaning to get a snack as well."

Shoot, George thought. Looks like we are going to have this conversation after all.

They walked in a kind of quiet solitude, no sound present except for the Christmas music the neighbors were blasting at full volume and Sapnap opening and closing drawers in the kitchen, presumably still hunting down his snack.

Dream was the one to break the wall of ice that was the awkward silence between them. "So," he stopped walking.

So did George. He tilted his head towards Dream, signaling for him to continue.

The sound of the music next doors seems to amplify in the quietness of the hallway they were standing in.

_It's the most beautiful time of the year_   
_Lights fill the streets, spreading so much cheer_   
_I should be playing in the winter snow_   
_But I'ma be under the mistletoe_

Mistletoe, George realized. He looked up and there it was, a little bundle of what he was told were green leaves and white berries, tied together with a red ribbon, hanging from the ceiling. It was also, decidedly, not there when they'd entered the gaming room.

_Screw you, Sapnap._

George noticed as Dream's eyes followed his own, looking up at the mistletoe.

_I don't wanna miss out on the holiday_   
_But I can't stop staring at your face_

Well, at least that part's true, George thought to himself.

_I should be playing in the winter snow_   
_But I'ma be under the mistletoe_

"Mistletoe, huh?" Dream commented lightly. George could feel his face starting to burn up again.

"Yeah, dunno what Sapnap was thinking."

"Oh?" Dream responded, a little playfully, but still genuine in a way. "I'd say he knew exactly what he was doing."

"What do you mean?"

"George, I think you know what I mean."

They were standing close now, again. Dream's nose was a mere inch away from George's, and George was feeling, decidedly, _very_ flustered. He had no question that his face had to be bright red at this point, and he could physically feel the heaving thumping of his heart.

_Ayy love, the wise man followed the star_   
_The way I followed my heart_   
_And it led me to a miracle_

Does he feel the same way? George asked himself, unsure. _If I follow my heart, will it be broken by the end of this godforsaken journey, or will it be made whole?_

_Ayy love, don't you buy me nothing_   
_'Cause I am feeling one thing, your lips on my lips_

George could feel Dream's reaction to that particular line, the way he glanced down at his lips ever so quickly, and then up again, straight into George's eyes.

_That's a merry, merry Christmas._


	12. Roses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh thank you guys for the love and support! This fic is growing so much faster than I would've ever imagined when I'd sat down at my desk that one night and just spontaneously wrote the first chapter, so here we go, chapter 12!
> 
> This chapter is inspired by Roses by Shawn Mendes, I highly recommend that you check it out, and as usual, I find it really nice to listen to the corresponding song while reading the chapter.

"Hey guys, I'm standing right here, you know?"

Sapnap, you're officially the worst wingman in the history of wingmen, George cursed in his mind.

Dream stumbled back, their moment gone, and Sapnap raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Oh, if I'm interrupting something, go ahead and carry on, don't let me stop you." George received an apologetic look from Sapnap after the death glare he'd shot him.

Yeah, you _idiot_ , George thought in his mind, you were the one to put the mistletoe there, knowing we'd end up under it when we came looking for you.

The atmosphere was strained that afternoon, like a rubber band stretched too tight, about to break any second. George and Dream avoided each other like the plague, one of them leaving the room as soon as the other entered, dodging any and all interactions that could be evaded. George went about his business, playing a little bit of Minecraft and totally not stalking Dream's Twitter page. (Though he did happen to know everything he's tweeted since their mistletoe moment. Just by chance.) He didn't know what Dream was up to, but he noticed that the blonde man had headed out earlier for a while and came back with something. Dream had slipped into his room, however, before George could see what it was.

* * *

By dinnertime, Sapnap's just about had enough.

Yes, he'd interrupted a moment earlier, but those two needed to get over themselves. It was so blindingly obvious that they reciprocated each other's feelings that he genuinely wondered why they weren't making out on the couch yet. They've slept in the same bed for the two nights that George's been here, George had worn (and fallen asleep in) Dream's hoodie that first day, and come on, George had went to Dream's room in the middle of the night to comfort him because of a nightmare.

 _Do those idiots even see the way they look at each other?_ He wondered. I swear, they could be on their honeymoon and still refuse to admit their feelings.

"Ayo, are you two planning to talk to each other any time soon? I'm getting a little tired of the silence over here. Y'all might as well rip the bandage off and kiss already," Sapnap announced, taking a bite of the spaghetti that he had to make for dinner because, again, they weren't speaking to each other and apparently this stupid silent treatment thing was more important than food (he strongly disagreed).

"Yeah, uh, George," Dream answered first, "We probably should." Realizing the joke that Sapnap had made at the end, he added quickly, "Talk, I mean. Not— not kiss. Though I wouldn't be against that. But we don't have to. If you don't want to. Not that I think you wouldn't want to. Do you want to? I—"

Taking pity on the poor stuttering man, Sapnap interrupted him, "Um, Dream, I think that's... another conversation. I'm going to take my spaghetti to the guest room, you guys do whatever you want." He stood up and headed for the guest room, leaving space for his friends to (hopefully) talk things out.

* * *

George sat in his chair, not really knowing what to say. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "I think it's time to talk about this. _Us_ , I mean. What are we, Dream?" he asked.

"I— I don't know," Dream answered. "I'm going to need some tea for this. You want some, George?"

George nodded his head yes and waited as Dream boiled the water, the two of them standing there in what was (at least what he considered) less awkward silence.

"Ow!"

George snapped his head around. Dream was standing next to the tea kettle, jaw clenched, one hand forming a fist over the other, and, judging by the expression on his face, very much in pain. George sprung up from his seat and rushed over to Dream.

"Hey, hey, are you okay? Did you burn your hand?" he asked, eyes concerned.

Dream managed to let out an affirmative "yeah" in the midst of his quiet whimpering.

"Here, let me see." George grabbed both of Dream's hands, gently peeling away the hand that was gripping over the other and revealing the burn. He gasped at the peeling red skin on his hand. "Dream, that's really bad. You should go to the hospital and get it checked out."

"It's— it's fine, George," Dream replied.

"But it looks so bad... I don't want you to hurt," George countered, heart aching for Dream a little bit.

"I'll be okay." He looked up at George with those puppy eyes that he knew he couldn't resist, and George mentally cursed Dream and his stupidly pretty eyes again.

"Fine, but still let me wrap it and put some aloe on it."

Dream agreed and told him where the first-aid kit was. He came back with the kit and took Dream's burnt hand in his own, first rinsing it with cold water and then spreading aloe gel over the wound. "Be more careful next time," he muttered as he wrapped Dream's hand in white bandage. "You scared me."

_God, his hands were so warm._

"Okay," Dream replied with a sincerity not usually present in his voice.

"We should actually talk now."

_I'm not tryna start a fire, with this flame._

Dream sat down across from him at the table. He began, "You... you stun me. You light me on fire, George. You're like this bright flame in my life, and it's only been growing stronger since you got here. It's all-consuming, and it— it's enchanting. You bewitched me."

_But I'm worried that your heart might feel the same._

"I used to think that I'd just get over it, that you'd never like me back, that this—" he gestured at the space in between them, "—was impossible. But now..."

_And I have to be honest with you, baby._

"I think I might have a chance."

_Tell me if I'm wrong, and this is crazy._

"And maybe you're too much for me, maybe we'll burn out, maybe we'll come crashing down in flames."

_But I got you this rose, and I need to know._

He held out a bouquet of roses.

_Will you let it die or let it grow?_

"But don't you want to find out what it feels like to burn?"


	13. Arcade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! Just wanted to let you guys know I appreciate all of your comments, and I read through/reply to them whenever I can. We're also officially at 10000 words in this story! The song inspiration in this chapter is Arcade by Duncan Lawrence, and as usual, feel free to check out the song while you're reading.
> 
> This next chapter is... well, interesting, so buckle up, and hope you enjoy!

George looked Dream in the eyes.

He saw hope, passion, love.

But he also fear, desperation, burning desire.

And in his mind there was the little voice that said, _what if you hurt him?_

He remembered the look on Dream's face when he'd gotten burned, that fleeting look of pure anguish, _pain_ on his face that he'd quickly concealed but George noticed nonetheless.

I don't ever, _ever_ want to be the one to put that look on your face.

To hurt you.

_To burn you._

And in the midst of the golden light in his eyes, he could already see, _feel_ the looming storm.

He could see the way he'd break Dream's heart, shattering it into a million beautiful, heart-wrenching pieces.

He could envision how one small fight between them would evolve into something bigger, and then slowly but surely, their once raging feelings would melt away into mere tolerance, and then resent, and then into the worst of them all — nothingness. And everything they had would be over, forgotten, buried underneath a sea of they tried, but they failed, and now he's gone.

_Gone._

He weighed the word in his mind. It was too heavy for him to know, too heavy for him to even fathom how much it would do to him.

He couldn't live without Dream, that much he knew. What he didn't know was who he needed him to be.

Whatever it was, George knew in his heart.

He couldn't burn him.

* * *

Dream knew. He knew George far too well. And the look in his eyes told him everything he needed to know before he'd even opened his mouth.

"Dream, I— I'm so sorry." The look on his face said the rest.

Dream's heart dropped. Despite knowing him so well, being able to predict his exact words, Dream had hoped with just a little corner of his heart that he was wrong.

It was like a spear had been driven through him. Everything hurt.

He dropped onto the floor before he could even attempt to hold in his tears. Sobs rang out around the kitchen.

 _I'm drowning_ , he thought. I'm drowning in my very own tears. How fucking pathetic.

_Turns out George wasn't the one I needed to be worried about._

_A broken heart is all that's left_  
_I'm still fixing all the cracks_  
_Lost a couple of pieces when_  
_I carried it, carried it, carried it home_  
_I'm afraid of all I am_  
_My mind feels like a foreign land_  
_Silence ringing inside my head_  
_Please carry me, carry me, carry me home_

Something, someone, _please_. Take me home.

But his home was George. And George was gone.

_I've spent all of the love I saved._

On you. Everything.

_We were always a losing game._

I should've known. I'm so stupid.

_Small-town boy in a big arcade._

A tiny body sinking deeper, deeper, deeper in his sorrow, his sadness, his hurt.

_I got addicted to a losing game._

* * *

He woke up alone in his bed, no George next to him for the first time in what seemed like forever.

He noticed that the roses were gone, but he didn't particularly care where they were.

_All I know, all I know..._

* * *

George couldn't get the image of Dream's face, that same pain that he'd been trying so hard to avoid, etched on it, out of his head.

He checked the backseat of the car he'd rented.

The roses were dead.

_Loving you is a losing game._


	14. Driver's License

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY.
> 
> I heard this song and just had to. Driver's License by Olivia Rodrigo :) Leave kudos and comments if you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Also um um um— HEAT WAVES CHAPTER 11?!
> 
> (Trigger warnings at the end. Again, nothing super bad but I felt like it was necessary.)

George drove along the highway. He wasn't sure how many days had passed. His days blended together — grocery-store meals, sleeping at hotels, and driving. So much driving.

He didn't know where he was driving. Just... somewhere. It'd made him uncomfortable to drive on the other side of the road in the beginning, but he was getting used to it. He was starting to regret his decision to hop in a car and leave in the heat of the moment. For starters, his colorblindness made it an annoyance, if not flat-out pain to drive. Instead of having the bright red light to remind him to stop, he was burdened with memorizing the order of the lights, not to mention the fact that he couldn't tell which cars were driving towards him and which ones away by the color of the taillights.

But still... what else was there to be done? He'd seen the look on Dream's face, the hurt, the heartbreak, exactly what he'd been so afraid to do.

_How did I mess this up?_

Lost in his thoughts, he kept driving through the night. At some point, he checked the clock. 3:27 am. He was starting to feel a little tired, but there were no motels nearby and sleeping in a car on the side of a highway sounded plain miserable (and not exactly safe either), so he pulled out his phone and looked up the nearest exit that led to some type of town.

_And all my friends are tired_  
_Of hearing how much I miss you, but_  
_I kinda feel sorry for them_  
_'Cause they'll never know you the way that I do, yeah_

I _know_ you, Dream. Better than anyone else, Sapnap even. So why can't I figure out what to do?

_Today I drove through the suburbs_  
_And pictured I was driving home to you_

He took the exit and entered a picturesque little town. There were sparkling lights, hanging everywhere. _It must be Christmas Eve_ , he realized.

_And I know we weren't perfect_  
_But I've never felt this way for no one, oh_

I've never felt like this around anyone else.

_And I just can't imagine_  
_How you could be so okay now that I'm gone_

I wish you were here with me. I wish I hadn't pushed you away, hadn't hurt you like I did.

_I guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me_  
_'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street_

Can I still fix this?

_Red lights, stop signs._

Wait—

He heard it first. A deafening slam assaulted George's ears, the terrible sound of metal on metal, crunching, twisting, breaking.

_I can still see your face in the white cars, front yards._

He saw it next. A white Volkswagen crashed into his car. He could see that the other driver's head was bleeding, but he was conscious, dialing what he assumed to be 911 on his phone. He could see that his own windshield was broken, pieces of glass littered around him and some lodged into his arm.

_Can't drive past the places we used to go to._

He felt it last. A stinging in his arms, presumably caused by the broken windshield glass, soon overpowered by the excruciating pain in his leg. He looked down. There was a large chunk of metal embedded in his left leg. It had probably once been part of the front dashboard. It wasn't bleeding much, but he knew it was probably because the metal was keeping the blood in. _Shit_ , he thought. _Dream_.

_'Cause I still fuckin' love you, babe._

What was it he felt for Dream?

_Sidewalks we crossed._

It couldn't possibly be...

_I still hear your voice in the traffic, we're laughing._

Love?

_Over all the noise._

He remembered all the little moments. Because those are the ones that make up life, aren't they? Those nights that they'd spent talking on the phone until ungodly hours in the morning. How Dream would call him after a bad day, and he'd pick up even though he was five hours ahead of Dream and it would be the middle of the night for him. He never cared about that, though, because he could always catch up on sleep, yet Dream was... Dream was everything to him. And the way he'd beamed that beautiful smile at him at the airport that day, how he'd practically dissolved into a puddle. How every time Dream looked at him, it was like the first time all over again.

And it was then that he realized that Dream was part of him now. He saw his own reaction to things, the way he anchored himself to him, how he was the person he thought of first and foremost. Even now, trapped in a car with jagged pieces of glass in his arm and a bleeding leg, he was thinking of him.

_God, I'm so blue, know we're through._

I love him, he finally understood. And maybe I've known it all along.

_But I still fuckin' love you, babe._

I love him, and I have to tell him.

The world went black.

* * *

"Hello? Is this... Dream? We need you at the hospital right away."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings:
> 
> Car accident  
> Character injury


	15. I Need You Here to Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers,
> 
> I am wholehearted sorry for the emotional trauma I have inflicted on you. Here is my peace offering, my token of apology. Take it.
> 
> xo,  
> M

George,

Seriously?

I mean, _seriously?_

Of all things, after literally _running away_ , you had to put me as the emergency contact in your phone? If you hadn't happened to be visiting, I would've been all the way across the Atlantic ocean. What could I have done if you'd gotten hurt 4246 miles away?

Probably would've flown to the UK.

You didn't even put my real name in there, just "Dream." The hospital receptionist, or whoever it is that calls people's emergency contacts, was so confused. It was kind of funny, actually. You would've laughed so hard if you'd been here to see it. I had to explain the whole online persona thing to him.

They said they found dead roses in the back of your car.

I'm not sure what to think about that.

I'm not sure what to say, either. Just _please_ , George. Please be okay.

—Dream

* * *

George,

Hey, uh, I'm back. They're saying you still haven't woken up. It's been, what, 10 hours? I'm getting worried.

Sapnap's telling me to go eat, but for now I'm just sitting in your room, waiting, I guess.

For the record, just so I can get it off my chest (and it's not like you're going to be reading these anyway), I meant what I said the other day. Every word of it. And yeah, I know you don't feel the same way, but I just— I need you. I need you here to stay. Please wake up soon. I miss you already.

—Dream

* * *

George,

It's snowing outside. Isn't that crazy? It hasn't snowed in Florida, since, like 1989. And I wasn't even alive in 1989. But I see the snowflakes falling, on the one night where you're not here to see it.

Watch the snowflakes with me. Wake up, and watch the tiny little crystals of water fall from the sky like the tears of fallen angels, so pretty yet so tragic. Watch them pile up on the ground, watch the kids outside squeal in joy as they throw snowballs at each other. I don't remember the last time I felt so happy, so free. I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure, whenever it was, it was with you. Because you're the only one that makes me feel like this.

I went outside for a little bit, right next to the hospital, so I could run back if you woke up. Tried to catch the snowflakes on my tongue. They tasted bittersweet.

—Dream

* * *

George,

I think even the doctors are losing hope now. It's been 24 hours, a whole day, and you still haven't woken up. I'll stay here, though. Until you wake up or you—

No, we're not going to think about that.

You're gonna make it, Georgie. I know it. Because there's so many things you haven't done yet, so many things you haven't experienced, so much life you have left to live. And there's me, too. I'll be here, I'll be whatever you need me to be. I promise.

—Dream

* * *

George,

Wake up.

Please. For me.

—Dream

* * *

"D— Dream?"


	16. Hold On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My token of apology, continued.
> 
> (P.S. Thank you guys for the comments! They're so sweet and some of them *cough* you know who you are *cough* really make me laugh.)
> 
> Also, I heard from a Dream Spotify account that he'd listened to Line Without A Hook. Ahh I know it's a popular song but why did that make me kinda happy...

George opened his eyes. His throat felt sore, and he didn't recognize anything around him. Well, actually, he did recognize _something_.

"D— Dream?"

The tall, blonde man who had been passed out on the armchair set in a corner of George's room suddenly awoke. George chuckled in his head as he watched Dream's face fill with shock, then relief, then a soft yet radiant smile. "George!" he laughed, jumping out of his chair and practically hopping over to George's bed. "You're— alive!"

"Yes, here in the flesh and definitely alive," George replied with a grin of his own.

George felt a strong pair of arms wrap around him. "I was so worried," Dream said in a voice George hadn't heard before. It was tender, almost, but he could hear the fierce _love_ behind those relieved words. He settled his head onto Dream's chest and they just stayed that way, grateful that the other person was there. God, he was so warm, George thought, nuzzling his head into that comfy little space under Dream's chin, enjoying the moment while it lasted.

"You're not going to let go?" he asked quite a while later, Dream's warmth still surrounding him, his arms still holding him.

"Not until you do," George heard Dream whisper in that tender voice again.

As nice as the thought of staying there forever was, at some point (after lots of convincing himself that this won't be the last time he'll ever hug him), George had to slowly ease out of the embrace, patting Dream on the back as he did so.

He saw glittering tears in Dream's eyes as he looked up.

"Hey, hey, don't cry," George comforted Dream as he swiped a tear rolling down his face.

Dream gave him a sad little smile and sniffled, "Okay."

"About the other day—" George started.

"No, George, it's okay. We don't have to talk about it. I mean, you just woke up from almost dying in a car accident, so now's probably not the best time. It was my fault anyways, I shouldn't have said the stuff I did. It was pretty shitty of me to just dump all of that on you and expect you to feel the same way. I'm sorry. Let's just forget about it and move on."

Hearing that was like another stab to George's heart, but... now wasn't the time to back out.

"Dream," he looked Dream dead in the eyes, "I— I realized something when I got hit by that car. It'd been right in front of me all along, really, but I just never understood it. I do now, though."

He took a deep breath, "I love you, Dream." He could see the surprise in Dream's eyes, but he kept going. "I've loved you since that one time you won in manhunt, and instead of gloating about it like you usually do, you offered to do a rematch and wouldn't stop until I won. I've loved you since that day I got really sick and couldn't stream, and you noticed and ordered me chicken noodle soup from across the Atlantic ocean. And I've loved you since the time we played Among Us together, and you knew I was the impostor because come on now, I don't think you've ever been wrong before, yet you still defended me to the death.

"I was scared to tell you before, scared of hurting you or breaking your heart or putting you through any kind of pain, but I see now that I was trying to protect myself too. Because I'm scared of getting hurt, too, and I'm scared that you'll break my heart, too. But I think it's time we tried, because without trying, we'd never find out. And what's a fate worse than never finding out?"

_It's time to start remembering dreams._

"It's time we remember our dreams. Let's be honest, we don't know how long we have. I could die next month. Hell, I could die tomorrow. I almost just did. And we only live once, so we... we have to find out while we still can."

_Lift your eyes to see the things unseen._

"Can you see it, Dream? Our future, _us_. Together. Do you see it now?"

_Remember who you wanna be._

"Who do you wanna be, Dream?"

_Let the light hit your eyes._

George suddenly noticed the way the golden color of Dream's eyes exploded when the light hit it just right, the little sparks of beauty practically inviting him in.

"I don't know, George," Dream answered his question, "But what I do know is that I love you, too."

_Oh, hold on_  
_Just one more day_  
_Hold on_  
_You know you'll find a way_  
_Hold on_

George looked up at the sky.

_You've got stars in your eyes._

He gasped.

_So let's paint the sky._

The sky was painted a beautiful gold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention at the beginning, but the song is called Hold On by Extreme Music. You should definitely check it out, and (*hint hint*) there might be another chapter with this song coming...


	17. What Better Time Than Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! More of a lighthearted chapter today for you today (finally). As usual, please leave kudos if you like this fic, and comment your thoughts! I really love seeing what people like about my writing and/or what I can do better. Thank you all for the support so far, I couldn't have made it this far without you guys!
> 
> P.S. I also had a little bit of extra time today, so I went through the story and fixed (hopefully all of) the grammar mistakes and typos :)

Dream intercepted the doctor as she stepped out of George's room.

"Hey, Doctor, uh..." Dream glanced at her name tag, "Morrison."

She turned to look at him. She looked young, most likely in her late twenties, yet she had a look of intelligence and professionalism to her, Dream noted. She gave him a nod, signaling for him to go on.

"Is he— Is he going to be okay?"

She looked at her notepad, pondered the question for a little bit, and answered, "He should be. We were able to remove the piece of metal from his leg and the broken glass from his arms, and he has a mild concussion, but other than that, he seems to be healthy. He's responding well to the antibiotics we've given him, so nothing should get infected. Obviously, we can't always be 100% sure with these things, but our biggest concern was the brain damage he might've sustained from the accident, and the MRI showed minimal damage. Him waking up was a good sign that there was no serious damage inflicted to his brain as well. He should be ready to be discharged by tomorrow, but he will have to be on bed rest for a few more days after that."

Letting go of the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, Dream gave her a weak smile and thanked her.

She gave him a sympathetic smile, "Hey, I know it's hard, seeing your boyfriend in so much pain, but he'll be okay."

Dream could feel his face flush. "Oh, uh, we're not— We haven't really— I mean, I don't know if—" he paused and sighed, "It's complicated."

"Oh?" the doctor raised an eyebrow, "I just assumed. I mean, I don't mean to overstep, but we all kind of assumed you were dating. Him putting you as his emergency contact, the way you got here about five minutes after our nurse called you, the fact that you stayed in there the entire time..."

Dream caught on to a certain part of that sentence. "We?"

"Yeah, me and my fellow conspirators and hospital cupids."

Dream gave her a look of utter confusion.

A glint of mischief entered her eyes. "What's your name?"

"Call me Dream."

"Well, _Dream_ , I'm about to go on break and George is resting right now. Mind joining me and my crew for lunch?"

Dream hesitated, not sure if this was really the right time to be social, especially since poor George was still hurting in there. _Sapnap's with him_ , he reminded himself.

Dr. Morrison must've noticed his reluctance, because she leaned in and added in a whisper, "We've got hospital gossip. I've heard rumors that the nurse you talked to on the phone is planning to ask me out." She made a gagging motion.

Resigning to her newfound bubbliness, Dream nodded his head. "Lead the way, Doctor."

"Call me Kate."

* * *

After a lengthy introduction in which Dream discovered that who he'd assumed to be the "hospital receptionist" was actually Jason the nurse, in addition to all of Kate's friend's names (hint: there were a lot), he hungrily dug in to the turkey sandwich he'd ordered from the hospital cafeteria. The entire group had warned him against it, claiming that no one _really_ knew what the meat was, but it certainly wasn't turkey. Upon taking his first bite, he could tell that they were right. As possibly the world's biggest meat-lover, he would've been strongly opposed to the sandwich, but having not eaten in (what he now realized was) over an entire day, he couldn't care less about the origins of the mystery meat.

"So, Dream," one of the doctors, supposedly named Braden (though he wasn't too sure — there were way too many names to keep track of), asked, "Are you dating that cute brunette boy? Because I'll take him if he's single." He laughed and Dream shot him an annoyed look.

"Blake, be nice—" _Oh, so his name wasn't Braden._ "—he's obviously taken. Right, Dream?" Kate shot Dream a look that said _say yes, you moron_.

"Uh," Dream stuttered unconvincingly, "yeah, um, he's taken. Totally."

Blake gave him a knowing look. "Okay, so how are we getting those two together?" he glanced around the table.

"You could always do the New Year's kiss," a soft-spoken blonde from the other end of the table suggested, "You know, take him somewhere romantic, count down the seconds together."

Kate piped in, "Yeah, he'll need to be on bed rest for a few days, but I don't see why you guys can't go to the beach and set up a midnight picnic or something on New Year's. I'll bet you can see the fireworks, too. And you've got that friend of yours, Sapnap, to help you."

"I mean..." Dream thought through the scenario in his head. Him and George, on a beach, again. His mind crowded with fear for a second, the image of George swept away by the waves still fresh in his mind, but he shook the thought out of his head. We'll just stay away from the ocean, he convinced himself. "Okay. I'll take him to the beach."

The table of doctors and nurses that strangely reminded him of his high school friend group gave a loud cheer, and they (somehow) got to work on what they called "the great plan." They might've been the top of their class in university, but they definitely weren't the most creative. Kate set out to map out the different beaches near Orlando, marking which ones were more busy and which ones less, on a napkin. Jason and Blake took the two seats on either side of Dream and began vigorously questioning him on what had to be the world's most random trivia questions. The blonde girl who had been the one to suggest the idea at first joined Kate in making the beach map, now adding in the different places where fireworks would be launched at midnight and seeing which beaches would be close enough to see the fireworks but far enough for what they called "quiet romance."

The lunch ended far too soon, and a few minutes later, Dream was saying goodbye to his new friends, promising to keep in touch (and more importantly, let them know how it goes with George) as he typed his phone number into Kate's phone.

It was time. It was time he did something about this _thing_ he had with George — whatever it was — and what better time than now?


	18. Night Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh hi! Here's our next chapter, inspired by Night Changes by One Direction (because this story would NOT be complete without a One Direction song), though it has a little bit of Hold On by Extreme Music as well. Enjoy, and please leave kudos if you like my writing :)

Dream stayed with George for the next few days. The majority of his hours were spent in George's hospital room, or, after he'd been discharged, taking care of him in his guest room, bringing him food when he was hungry, insisting that he stay in bed even when he swore he was fine to get up and walk around. George would tell him not to worry about him, to go out and eat dinner or something, but Dream noticed the way his eyes sparkled just a little bit brighter when he agreed to stay with him, "just for a little bit," one night, knowing he couldn't say no if he wanted to, the way he had this cute little grin on his face the next morning when he realized that Dream had fallen asleep next to him, legs tangled up in his own and one arm slung over his body.

They weren't sure what they were. In a zone of limbo, if you will. It wasn't the kind of uncomfortable that'd settled in the air before, the awkwardness of avoiding the subject because neither party knew what to say. Now, it was an honest type of silent agreement, giving each other time and space to think about everything. Because now that no more unspoken words lingered in the space between them, no more secrets to be kept, they could afford to be truthful. And it started with the little things, how Dream's laugh was just a little bit more genuine when George teased him because there were no more doubts in his mind, no more overthinking, how it no longer felt like a question when George's hand grazed Dream's own, but an affirmation. It closed the space between them, and Dream couldn't help but think _maybe this was what we needed all along. Maybe all we needed was to be honest. Even if it took a goddamn storm, some gift shop mistletoe, and a car accident for us to get here._

Dream kept his plan on his mind, though. And when George was fast asleep in the middle of the night, texts were exchanged with Kate and her group of friends with the minds of literal teenagers. Sapnap caught on at one point and volunteered his mental support and a brochure named "Best Places to Visit in Orlando: The Ultimate Guide," courtesy of the airport from which he arrived.

And it was one of those nights after Kate's check-in that a song came up on the dusty old radio player Dream had put on because, frankly, he wanted to remember that night when they'd slow danced in this very living room, seemingly so long ago.

_We're only getting older, baby_   
_And I've been thinking about it lately_   
_Does it ever drive you crazy_   
_Just how fast the night changes?_

Things change faster in the night, don't you think? During the day, everything's so tangible, so _there_. But once the sun sets, things get blurry. You don't see everything so clearly, you don't see your doubts anymore. So you run straight to where your heart leads you, because your eyes aren't there to deceive you now. And so things change, people make impulsive decisions, and come daytime, you can only pray that those decisions changed you for the better. And they did, for me. You're a part of me now, George. You took a piece of my heart and you made it all your own, with all your bright-eyed smiles and fluffy hair and oversized hoodies that you look so precious in, and you changed me for the better.

_Everything that you've ever dreamed of_   
_Disappearing when you wake up_   
_But there's nothing be afraid of_   
_Even when the night changes_

I'll wait for you.

_It will never change me and you._

I'll wait as long as it takes.

* * *

George woke up to the sound of music. Something by a band named One Direction or something. He knew Dream loved that band, if only by the sheer amount of times he's played their songs in the car.

His mind slowly awoke itself, another 2010s-era song playing in his head.

_Let out the beauty that's been trapped inside_   
_Let them know that you're not gonna hide_   
_Hey up there your arms open wide_   
_Spread your wings and fly_

Fly with me.

_But the sun is always there to shine_   
_The clouds don't own the sky  
_ _Oh, hold on_   
_Just one more time_   
_Hold on_

And hold on, Dream. Hold on to _us_. I know we'll work out. You're my best friend.

_I'll be your reason why_   
_Hold on_

Let me be the light, the reason you smile after a long day. Let me be the one you take home to your mom for Thanksgiving dinner, the one you show off to all your friends, but most of all, let me be the person you want to be with for the rest of your life.

_You've got stars in your eyes_   
_So let's paint the sky_

I get it, though, if you're not ready for that yet. In the meantime, I'll hold on to whatever this is we have now.


	19. Line Without A Hook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys! The (well, not ending, but) exciting part! Bear with me for that first half of George and Dream just being idiots, I promise we get to the good stuff by the end :) This is part one of two parts for this particular section of the story because, yes, I'm spontaneously writing these at 3 in the morning and I'm really going to fall asleep if I don't find a good stopping point. Anyways, enjoy the chapter and leave kudos if you like! Song is Line Without A Hook by Ricky Montgomery.
> 
> P.S. Thank you all for 3000 hits! Seeing support really motivates me to write more and I'm really grateful for that <3

It was New Year's eve.

George could feel something different in the air, some sense of excitement, anticipation, restlessness. Dream was acting jittery, too, he noticed. There was a little bit more tension in his shoulders, he fidgeted with his pen just a bit more than usual, and his eyes seemed unfocused, his mind wandering some faraway land. Sapnap had informed him earlier that they were going to a beach that night to celebrate New Year's. George wondered if that had to do with Dream's supposed anxiousness, since he'd been the one to insist that George stayed in bed 24/7, even when his leg was _perfectly fine_ , if a little sore.

"Hey, Dream," George poked him with the handle of the fork he'd been using to eat his salad, "What's going on? You look nervous. We don't have to go to the beach tonight if you don't want to. I know Sapnap's been looking forward to it," an awful lot, too, he added in his mind, "but it's cool if you just want to stay home and watch a movie or something. I know you're still worried about my leg."

"Nonono, I totally want to go, George. I'm just— It's fine. Everything's fine," Dream replied. Quite unconvincingly too, George noted in his mind.

George answered with a doubtful, "Okay then," and continued to eat his lunch.

* * *

They headed for the beach at 4 pm, which George, frankly, just didn't understand.

"Dreaaaam," he complained in the car, "Why are we leaving so early? What are we going to do on the beach for eight hours straight?"

"Just wait, George," Dream gave him the same reply for what had to be the fifth time that day. "You'll see."

George looked over to Sapnap, hoping he would be the reasonable human here, but all he got was an unhelpful smile and a bag of Cheetos thrown at him. "American junk food," he mocked and fake barfed, all while practically tearing the bag open and devouring the contents.

Dream smirked at him from the driver's seat, and he could feel a smile grow on his face.

* * *

"George, I present to you— a sunset."

George stood there, unimpressed. "Did you really take me all the way out here six hours early so I could look at a sunset?" he deadpanned, "You do realize I've seen those before, right?'

Seemingly unbothered, Dream looked over to Sapnap, who proceeded to grab a box George hadn't noticed on the ride from the trunk of their car.

"Okay, so. I realized while you were in the hospital that I never really got you a Christmas present because of, you know," George could see Dream grimace, "everything that happened. So here's me and Sapnap's late Christmas gift to you." He held out the box and George took it, admittedly a little excited to see what was inside.

"Dream... Those— those are Enchroma glasses!" George yelled in his excitement.

"Try them on," Sapnap suggested.

George stuck the glasses onto his head, closing his eyes as he did so. "Dream, stand in front of me right now. You'll be the first thing I ever see in color."

After a few grumbles from Sapnap for "not being his favorite person," George opened his eyes.

It was stunning. The colors were so sharp, so vibrant. He could see more depth too, the lights and shadows interweaving through the world. But most importantly was Dream. Dream looked so perfect, so angelic standing there that George was left staring at him in sheer astonishment.

He recovered a few moments later, Sapnap reminding him to look at the sunset. It was pretty, he thought, but his mind immediately drifted back to Dream and his face again. And again. And again.

* * *

They were at a restaurant. And not just any restaurant, one next to the ocean, with a rare view of the last fading glimpses of light after the sunset, flashing in the night sky. Stars sparkled now, a pretty white against the dark backdrop of the universe. The three friends sat in a circle, Dream enjoying his clam chowder, George savoring his creamy tomato soup, and Sapnap criticizing their choice in food — "Seriously? People still eat _soup_? Disgusting."

* * *

And then finally was the countdown.

Sapnap had mysteriously disappeared, supposedly to "meet a friend," and left some kind of Bluetooth speaker that was, apparently, also stashed in the trunk.

They were sitting on the beach, a few small clumps of people around them. A beach towel sat below them, and a blanket over both their bodies. George could feel Dream's warmth next to him, even in the freezing cold of December weather, even when they were next to the ocean, where sea breezes occasionally blew over them and the temperature seemed to drop even more. He could feel Dream slide his arm around his body as another one of those gusts of wind came over them and he shivered just the slightest bit. Dream's arm tightened around him, pulling his body towards his own, giving him what little heat he had to offer.

They were counting down the seconds now.

Dream had put on meaningless music earlier as they hung out on the beach, but now he chose a different song. One George recognized.

_I don't really give a damn about the way you touch me_  
_When we're alone_  
_You can hold my hand if no one's home_  
_Do you like it when I'm away?_  
_If I went and hurt my body, baby_  
_Would you love me the same?_

It was _that_ song. The one that had started what would've been an unimaginable chain of events a few weeks ago, but were very real as of right now. The chain of events that had led to this. _Them_. George could still see them in that living room, Dream's hand around his waist and their eyes locked in a battle of questions and feelings.

They were in a similar position now, Dream's eyes searching his own, asking, "Are you ready for this?"

_I can feel all my bones coming back_  
_And I'm craving motion_  
_Mama never really learned how to live by herself_  
_It's a curse and it's growing_  
_You're a pond and I'm an ocean_  
_Oh, all my emotions feel like explosions when you are around_  
_And I've found a way to kill the sound_

His heart replied yes, _yes_ , of course he was. Wasn't this what he'd been waiting for ever since that morning he'd woken up next to Dream and realized that, deep inside his heart, this was all he wanted? That _Dream_ was all he wanted?

_Oh, baby, I am a wreck when I'm without you_  
_I need you here to stay_

I need you, Dream. And I'm not okay with friendship anymore, because I need you to be more, need _us_ to be more.

_I broke all my bones that day I found you_  
_Crying at the lake_

That look on your face the day you confessed, the sheer vulnerability there.

_Was it something I said to make you_  
_Feel like you're a burden?_

Then I'd taken that vulnerability and smashed right through it, straight to your heart.

_Oh, and if I could take it all back_  
_I swear that I would pull you from the tide_

And here you are again, offering it a second time.

Five.

_Darling, when I'm fast asleep..._

Four.

Can I take it?

_I've seen this person watching me._

Three.

Will I hurt you?

_Saying, "Is it worth it?"_

Two.

George's heart raced as he felt Dream leaning in, his hand reaching out, his fingers sending an electric current through him as they rested on his jawline.

_Is it worth it?_

One.

Dream closed the distance between them, the world melting away as his soft, gentle lips met his own.

_Tell me, is it worth it?_

...And as the pain of the previous year washed away with the exploding fireworks in the distance, George kissed him back.


	20. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is the second part to the previous chapter, and yes, I'm aware that it's much shorter than usual. This was a decision I made after thinking through this scene. I wanted to keep it purposefully vague and leave some room for interpretation, so this was written almost in a poetry style.
> 
> P.S. I have a Twitter account now! Feel free to follow me, the handle is @arrestedlobster (or you can click [here](https://www.twitter.com/arrestedlobster/)), and I'll update there whenever a new chapter is posted, so you'll be able to see when new chapters are up. I'll also just post random MCYT-related stuff :) DMs are open too, and I will gladly fangirl over fics with you if you send me a message. (Speaking of fangirling, chapter 12 of Heat Waves is up and my heart can't handle this right now—) I'll also answer questions about the story as long as it doesn't involve any spoilers :)
> 
> P.P.S. Regarding the ending of this fic: this is not the last chapter. There will be a few more (I'm not exactly sure how many), and it's very likely that there will be a sequel (I'll let you guys know by the last chapter of this story).

It started like a spark. A question, asking for permission. Resting, still, but teeming with the possibility of _more._

_A misword, a phone call, an airport. A hand on his jaw, lips grazing his own._

Then it grew into a small flame. Reciprocated yet unsure, still able to be put out.

_A storm, a song, a dance. Tenderness, innocence as he kissed him back._

After that, a burning fire, fueled by unimpeachable passion.

_A dream, a rose, a confession. Hand running through his hair, music blasting through his ears as they found each other's heart and held on tight._

And finally, a furious inferno of devotion, affection, _love_ , taking over as the world dissolved and nothing but _him_ was left.

_A car crash, a hospital, a beach. Euphoria pulsing in his veins, exhilaration racing through his blood._

It was everything.

And as George laid down next to a fast-asleep Dream in the hotel room they'd rented for the night, he couldn't help but think, _I am the luckiest person on this planet._


	21. Of Course

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh we're so close to the end of this story!! Here's what I THINK will be the second-to-last chapter (maybe third), enjoy!
> 
> P.S. My Twitter handle is @arrestedlobster if you want to follow me :) I'll post there whenever there's an update to the story.

Somehow everyone could sense that things had changed. One by one, their friends would message them a "congratulations" on Discord or a "finally" after their streams ended, or, in Sapnap's case, a "told you so" the second he saw Dream in the hotel lobby. He wasn't sure how, because they hadn't told anyone yet. Hell, Dream wasn't too sure what they were himself. He'd been meaning to ask George, but...

Speaking of the devil. A yawning George stepped into the lobby and, even though it was pretty clear that George had just woken up and looked like a grumpy little gremlin, Dream could still feel himself smile at the sight of him. _God, will I ever get over just looking at his face?_ he asked himself despite already knowing the answer.

George waved, speeding up to a slow jog as he made his way to Dream. After exchanging sleepy greetings, Sapnap shook the car keys in his hand and insisted that they hurry up and left because, apparently, he's "very busy." Right, Dream noted in his head. Super busy, seeing as you've been staying with me for the past two weeks and you've done nothing but ship me and George.

They piled into the car, Sapnap driving, and Dream in the backseat with George due to George's endless, "Come on, Dreammmm, sit in the back with me. I don't want to be lonely." Sapnap stopped about 30 minutes later at a gas station, claiming he needed his morning coffee.

And so George and Dream were left alone in the car, once again.

"Hey, uh, George?"

George turned his head, indicating that he was listening.

"About last night..." He took his leap of faith. "What are we? What do you want us to be?"

Dream could see George's hesitation, his uncertainty, on his face. His mind flashed back to that day he'd given him the roses, how he had that same look on his face as he rejected him, and his heart tensed. This time, though, he saw beyond the doubt. This time, he saw something that resembled hope. Hope that they could be more, instead of fear that they would have less.

After what seemed like a millennium of silence, George answered, "I want us to be boyfriends. If that's okay with you."

A smile broke out on Dream's face as he took a surprised George in his arms. "Of course."


	22. Never Be Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't ramble on today, here's the last chapter to Line Without A Hook! Follow me on Twitter @arrestedlobster for updates. The song in this chapter is Never Be Alone by Shawn Mendes.
> 
> Longer author's note at the end.

Dream stood in the airport once again. This time, though, George was leaving. "Don't leave," he whined, "Stay with me for a few more days. Please?"

"Dream, you know I can't do that," George looked back at him. "I've got to go home."

Shoulders deflated and a wistful look on his face, Dream nodded his head in unwilling acceptance and pulled George into a hug.

_You'll never be alone_  
_When you miss me, close your eyes_  
_I may be far, but never gone_

You might be on the other side of the Atlantic ocean, but you'll always be in my heart.

_When you fall asleep tonight_  
_Just remember that we lay under the same stars_

Remember the stars in the sky that night we kissed? I thought they were pretty. Not as pretty as you, though.

_And hey, I know there are some things we need to talk about_  
_And I can't stay, just let me hold you for a little longer now_

Dream tightened his hug and held on tight.

_And take a piece of my heart and make it all your own._

My heart belongs to you. All of it. I just wish I could come with you.

_So when we are apart, you'll never be alone._

With sparkling tears in his eyes and a strange warmth in his heart, Dream watched George walk away.

_You'll never be alone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it, that’s the end of Line Without A Hook! I just wanted to take the time here to thank each and every one of you that read/comment on/leave kudos on my fic. This was by far the longest piece of writing I’ve ever written, and I would’ve never had the motivation to finish this without you guys. The support I’ve received with this is absolutely insane, and I never thought so many people would want to read something I wrote.
> 
> Now for the good news: George and Dream’s story doesn’t end here! This work will be part of a series named Fire, Water, and Liquid Gold, and the sequel to this work is called Let It Go. Like Line Without A Hook, it will be updated daily, and some chapters will be based on songs/quotes. There will also be a time skip between Line Without A Hook and Let It Go. The latter will take place a few months into Dream and George’s relationship.
> 
> Line Without A Hook wasn’t perfect, and I can see places where it could’ve been better written. However, I’ve purposefully refrained from majorly editing any chapter after it’s been posted, as my goal with this story was to write a complete story and finish it. With that said, Let It Go will be different. Line Without A Hook’s plot was unplanned. I quite literally wrote each chapter the night it is published, with practically no plans for the next one, with the exception of chapter 19, which I had in my mind from the beginning. My goal with creating these stories is to improve my writing (and entertain, of course), and I feel that I can do more with Let It Go, which is why I’ll be taking a few days to think through and construct the plot (as well as to catch up on sleep) before starting to update. There is one chapter posted already ([here's the link](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28892058/chapters/70879275)) to make it easier for those of you that really enjoyed Line Without A Hook and are interested in the sequel to bookmark/subscribe to the work so you can find it and be notified when I start updating, but it will be a few days before more chapters are posted.
> 
> Again, thank you for the support. This was a crazy journey from start to finish, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you guys. Be on the lookout for Let It Go, and bye for now!
> 
> Love you all,  
> M

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings for entire work:
> 
> Drowning (chapter 9)  
> Character death in a dream (chapter 9)  
> Car accident (chapter 14)  
> Character injury (chapter 14)


End file.
